The present invention relates to decontamination formulations for disinfection and sterilization applications. In particular, the present invention is directed to aqueous formulations that include at least one reactive compound, bleaching activator, and inorganic base; and that allow the formulation to be pre-mixed and packaged as a two-part kit system. The aqueous decontamination formulations can be delivered in a wide variety of embodiments, including, but not limited to: foams, sprays, liquids, gels, fogs and aerosols.
Much of the background of decontamination formulations has been previously discussed in the related patent applications and patent listed above. Briefly, the formulations of the present invention fall generally into two families, designated “DF-100” and “DF-200.” DF-100 formulations comprise, for example, a cationic surfactant (e.g., benzalkonium chloride) and a reactive compound (e.g., hydrogen peroxide mixed with potassium bicarbonate, which forms the highly reactive, negatively-charged nucleophillic species, hydroperoxycarbonate (HCO4−), which is a strong oxidant), that when mixed with water (e.g., tap water, well water, seawater, etc.) and exposed to a toxant, neutralizes that toxant. The solubilizing agent serves to effectively render the toxant susceptible to attack, while the reactive compound serves to attack and neutralize the toxant.
The second family of decontamination formulations, DF-200, are enhanced versions of DF-100. In DF-200, a bleaching activator (e.g., propylene glycol diacetate or glycerol diacetate) has been added to speed up reaction kinetics, improve performance, and eliminate the need for pH adjustment.
In both DF-100 and DF-200 decontamination formulations some of the ingredients must be stored separately in order to prevent premature chemical reaction before use. For example, hydrogen peroxide must be stored separately from the other ingredients prior to use, due to its high reactivity. This can be accomplished by packaging the formulation as a multi-part kit system (e.g., 2-part, 3-part or 4-part kits). For example, a two-part kit system can be used, comprising a relatively inert component (Part A), and an active component (Part B) that comprises the reactive compound. The bulk of the make-up water may be “pre-packaged” in one of the two containers, which allows for rapid deployment of the decontamination solution, without the need for providing extra water in the field. Alternatively, the make-up water (including seawater) can be separately provided in the field, which greatly reduces the weight of the pre-packaged kit components, making the kit easier to ship and store.
An example of a non-foaming DF-200 decontamination formulation is: